Thank You Powers Fasteners

A big thank you to Arslan Awan and Matthew Brunt from Powers Fasteners for delivering their technical presentation to our engineers on Friday 31 August 2018.

We learned that Powers Fasteners are distributed through a network of distributors that make getting Powers Fasteners onto construction sites easy and cost-effective.

The Powers Fasteners product range includes mechanical anchoring, adhesive anchoring, screws, rivets, power tools, hole cleaning brushes and embedded anchors.

Some of the takeaways for the day for us were:

• Anchor design should consider whether the concrete is cracked or uncracked at ultimate load.
• Sieved anchors (plastic sleeves) are still the preferred way to anchor to hollow brick.
• Some chemical anchoring products adhere to smooth, diamond drill cored holes…. and some do not (ask us which is which).
• Powers DesignAssist is an anchor design program for engineers that helps select and design fasteners and steel base plates.
• Undercut anchors can be used with a special undercut drill bits to improve load transfer to concrete and masonry without relying on friction with the side wall of the hole – just like belling out the bottom of a bored pier.

Fastener Installation is Not idiot Proof

The big takeaway is that mechanical and chemical anchor installation in concrete and masonry is not ‘idiot-proof’. The correct installation of the fastener is just as important as selecting the correct type of fastener.

That’s why Powers Fasteners offer on-site training for anchor installation teams on big and small construction jobs and in-office technical support for anchor selection and sizing.

You can contact Powers Fasteners to arrange a site training session or in-office technical session like we did!

Brand Non-Specific

At Cornell Engineers we try to make our drawings brand non-specific to comply with good practice and the Housing and Public Works advice that:

While it is recognised that in some instances it is more practicable to nominate a brand name for the purpose of defining acceptable functional, performance and/or technical standards, it is not acceptable practice to routinely specify brand names.

Now that you know that Powers Fasteners has such a wide range of fasteners in such accessible locations we’re looking forward to seeing more Powers Fasteners (and approved equivalents) on site.

Have a safe construction day.